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I like reading cracked.com articles. They're often funny and interesting. Sometimes, though, I really, really have to wonder if the writers research much of anything before writing?
Six Insane Superstitions That Are Still Shockingly Influential.
Apparently, here in Ireland, we can't build roads on fairy land because the NRA believes in fairies. *blinks rapidly* Now, what they're probably talking about is that roads are (sometimes) diverted to build around ringforts, which are called fairy forts, because ringforts are early medieval archaeological monuments and some people would like it if you didn't bulldoze those (not that that protects them in the long run, see things like the Hill of Tara, but anyway). There is a belief traditionally attached to them regarding fairies (the raths are traditionally the surface entrances to the Otherworld, where the Tuatha de Danann went when they left Eire), but I highly doubt that belief makes no nevermind to the National Roads Authority, given that scientific and/or historical preservation reasons tend to do bugger all either if there's money on the line.
(And, to be fair, there's also a lot of ringforts in Ireland - they were essentially an early medieval type of farmstead, so anywhere there was farming, there's ringforts - the country is fairly lousy with them and we've got to build roads somewhere. Usually only the particularly large or important ones are spared).
Just ... what now? Really? There are any number of religious and superstitious beliefs worldwide and in Ireland that affect the everyday running of things (the concept of the weekend, for example), but thinking that fairy folklore will save a ringfort or divert a road in Ireland is ... somewhat optimistic, darling.
Just. Oi. Really?
Six Insane Superstitions That Are Still Shockingly Influential.
Apparently, here in Ireland, we can't build roads on fairy land because the NRA believes in fairies. *blinks rapidly* Now, what they're probably talking about is that roads are (sometimes) diverted to build around ringforts, which are called fairy forts, because ringforts are early medieval archaeological monuments and some people would like it if you didn't bulldoze those (not that that protects them in the long run, see things like the Hill of Tara, but anyway). There is a belief traditionally attached to them regarding fairies (the raths are traditionally the surface entrances to the Otherworld, where the Tuatha de Danann went when they left Eire), but I highly doubt that belief makes no nevermind to the National Roads Authority, given that scientific and/or historical preservation reasons tend to do bugger all either if there's money on the line.
(And, to be fair, there's also a lot of ringforts in Ireland - they were essentially an early medieval type of farmstead, so anywhere there was farming, there's ringforts - the country is fairly lousy with them and we've got to build roads somewhere. Usually only the particularly large or important ones are spared).
Just ... what now? Really? There are any number of religious and superstitious beliefs worldwide and in Ireland that affect the everyday running of things (the concept of the weekend, for example), but thinking that fairy folklore will save a ringfort or divert a road in Ireland is ... somewhat optimistic, darling.
Just. Oi. Really?
